CHAPTER THREE

Balancing Chemical Equation (3)

3.9

We follow the steps are described in detail in Section 19.1 of the text.
(a)

The problem is given in ionic form, so combining Steps 1 and 2, the halfreactions are:
oxidation:
reduction:

Fe2+ Fe3+
H2O2 H2O

Combining Steps 3 and 4, balancing the second equation for O and H gives:
2H+ + H2O2 2H2O
Step 5 involves balancing both equations for charge with electrons:
Fe2+ Fe3+ + e
2H+ + H2O2 + 2e 2H2O
We multiply the first halfreaction by 2 to equalize charge, add, and cancel electrons to
reach the balanced equation.
2Fe2+ + 2H+ + H2O2 2Fe3+ + 2H2O
(b)

The problem is given in ionic form, so combining Steps 1 and 2, the halfreactions are:
oxidation:
reduction:

Cu Cu2+
HNO3 NO

Combining Steps 3 and 4, balancing the reduction half reaction for O with H2O and for H
with H+ gives
3H+ + HNO3 NO + 2H2O
The oxidation half reaction is already mass balanced.
Step 5 involves balancing both equations for charge with electrons:
3e + 3H+ + HNO3 NO + 2H2O
Cu Cu2+ + 2e
We multiply the first halfreaction by 2 and the second halfreaction by 3 to equalize charge
(6 e on each side of the equation, add, and cancel electrons to reach the balanced equation.
3Cu + 2HNO3 + 6H+ 3Cu2+ + 2NO + 4H2O
(c)

3CN + 2MnO4 + H2O 3CNO + 2MnO2 + 2OH

(d)

3Br2 + 6OH BrO3 + 5Br + 3H2O

(e)

Halfreactions balanced for S and I:

oxidation:
reduction:

2S2O32 S4O62
I2 2I

Both halfreactions are already balanced for O, so we balance charge with electrons
2S2O32 S4O62 + 2e
I2 + 2e 2I
The electron count is the same on both sides. We add and cancel electrons to obtain the
finished equation
2S2O32 + I2 S4O62 + 2I
3.10

(a)
Step 1: Separate the equation into two half-reactions.
oxidation

Mn2+ MnO2
reduction

H2O2 H2O
Step 2: Balance the atoms other than O and H in each half-reaction separately.
The oxidation half-reaction is already balanced for Mn atoms.
Step 3: Assume that the reaction is taking place in an acidic medium. Add H2O to balance the O
atoms and H+ to balance the H atoms.
For the oxidation half-reaction, add 2 H2O to the left-hand side of the equation to balance the O
atoms.

MnO2
Mn2+ + 2 H2O
To balance the H atoms, we add 4 H+ to the right-hand side.
Mn2+ + 2 H2O
MnO2 + 4 H+
For the reduction half-reaction, we add one H2O to the right-hand side of the equation to balance
the O atoms.
H 2O 2
2 H2O
To balance the H atoms, we add 2 H+ to the left-hand side.
H 2O 2 + 2 H +
2 H2O
Step 4: Since this reaction is in basic solution, we add one OH to both sides for each H+ and
combine pairs of H+ and OH on the same side of the arrow to form H2O.

MnO2 + 4 H2O
Mn2+ + 2 H2O + 4 OH
H2O2 + 2 H2O
2 H2O + 2 OH
We remove extra H2O.

MnO2 + 2 H2O
Mn2+ + 4 OH

H 2O 2
2 OH
Step 5: Add electrons to one side of each half-reaction to balance the charge.
Mn2+ + 4 OH
MnO2 + 2 H2O + 2e

2 OH
H2O2 + 2e
Step 6: We can now add the reactions because the number of electrons gained (2 e) equals the
number of electrons lost (2 e). Canceling extra OH and electrons gives the completed
balanced equation.

MnO2 + 2 H2O
Mn2+ + H2O2 + 2 OH
Check to see that the equation is balanced by verifying that the equation has the same types and
numbers of atoms and the same charges on both sides of the equation.
(b)

This problem can be solved by the same methods used in part (a).
2 Bi(OH)3 + 3 SnO22
2 Bi + 3 H2O + 3 SnO32

(c)
Step 1: Separate the equation into two half-reactions.
oxidation

C2O42 CO2
reduction

Cr2O72 Cr3+
Step 2: Balance the atoms other than O and H in each half-reaction separately.
In the oxidation half-reaction, we need to balance the C atoms.

2 CO2
C2O42
In the reduction half-reaction, we need to balance the Cr atoms.
Cr2O72
2 Cr3+
Step 3: Add H2O to balance the O atoms and H+ to balance the H atoms.
In the oxidation half-reaction, the O atoms are already balanced.

2 Cr3+ + 7 H2O
Cr2O72 + 14 H+
Step 4: Add electrons to one side of each half-reaction to balance the charge.

2 CO2 + 2e
C2O42
Cr2O72 + 14 H+ + 6e
2 Cr3+ + 7 H2O
Step 5: The number of electrons gained must equal the number of electrons lost. Multiply the
oxidation half-reaction by 3, so that 6 e are transferred.

3 C2O42
6 CO2 + 6e
Cr2O72 + 14 H+ + 6e
2 Cr3+ + 7 H2O
Step 6: Add the two half-reactions and balance the final equation by inspection. The electrons on
both sides of the equation must cancel.

2 Cr3+ + 6 CO2 + 7 H2O

Cr2O72 + 14 H+ + 3 C2O42
(d)

This problem can be solved by the same methods used in part (c).

Cl2 + 2 ClO2 + 2 H2O

2 Cl + 2 ClO3 + 4 H+
3.11

(a)

The halfreactions are:

The complete balanced equation is:

H2(g) 2H+(aq) + 2e
Ni2+(aq) + 2e Ni(s)
Ni2+(aq) + H2(g) Ni(s) + 2H+(aq)

Ni(s) is below and to the right of H+(aq) in Table 19.1 of the text (see the halfreactions at
0.25 and 0.00 V). Therefore, the spontaneous reaction is the reverse of the above reaction,
that is:
Ni(s) + 2H+(aq) Ni2+(aq) + H2(g)
(b)

The halfreactions are:

MnO4(aq) + 8H+(aq) + 5e Mn2+(aq) + 4H2O

2Cl(aq) Cl2(g) + 2e

The complete balanced equation is:

2MnO4(aq) + 16H+(aq) + 10Cl(aq) 2Mn2+(aq) + 8H2O + 5Cl2(g)
In Table 19.1 of the text, Cl(aq) is below and to the right of MnO4(aq); therefore the
spontaneous reaction is as written.